Foldable stretcher.



M. KOZAK.

FOLDABLE STRETCHER.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT.24. 1914.

1,146,802. Patented Jul 20, 1915.

Q/Vibneooeo coumuu PLANOGRAIH COUVJASHINGTON. 0. c4

MIKO'IAJ' KOZAK, or LEAvnivwoRrH, KANSAS.

,roLnAB Ln Seaman.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, MIKoTAJ KOZAK, subject of the Emperor of Austria-Hungary, residing at Leavenworth, in the county of Leavenworth and State of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Foldable Stretchers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in foldable stretchers.

The primary object of this invention is to provide a stretcher adapted for hospital and army use and being capable of folding compactly for storage or transportation purposes, foldable leg supports being also employed.

A. further object is to provide a stretcher having portions thereof foldable upon the pivot attaching means for the supporting legs thereof.

With these general objects in view and others that will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same con sists in the novel combination and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more fully described, illustrated in the accompanying drawings, and set forth in the appended claim.

In the drawing forming a part of this application and in which like designating characters refer to corresponding parts throughout the several views, Figure, 1 is a side elevation of the device. Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof with a portion of the canvas mattress positioned thereon. Fig. 3 is a perspective vlew of a corner portion of the structure frame as set up for use.

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of the same frame corner inverted, and Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a portion of the device in its folded position.

Referring more in detail to the drawing the stretcher frame 10 is rectangular in form and comprises U-shaped end members 11 connected by pairs of side bars 12 which are hinged to the adjacent end members by pivot bolts 13, while said side bars 12 have hinges 14: connecting the members of each of the pairs thereof.

Supporting legs 15 are mounted at-the upper end upon the pivot bolts 13 and are adapted to support the stretcher frame when positioned thcrebeneath and extending perpendicular thereto. Two braces 16 have their ends pivoted upon pins 17 to the outer side of each of the legs 15, and have ofi-set Specification of Iietters Patent.

, Patented .mi eo, 1915'.

Application filed September 24, 1914. Serial N 0 863,298.

free ends 18 provided with side latches 19 adapted to be removably secured beneath the winged nuts '20 of'bolts 21 upon the outersides-of the frame and over which bolts the said notches are placed.

The end members and the adjacent side bars are retained in alinement with each other by means of latches 22 slidably mounted within straps 23 upon the side bars on the lower faces thereof. The said latches have off-set terminal bolts 24: at one end thereof receivable within perforated keepers 25 upon the underside of the adjacent portions of said end members.

The opposite outer ends of the members 11 are provided with projecting handles 26 and by which the stretcher may be readily carried when set up for use. The upper side of the frame is provided with projecting pins 27 spaced apart as may be found desirable and over which eyelets 28 of a canvas cover or mattress 29 are adapted to be hooked.

It being noted that the hinges 14 of the side bars allow the folding together of the said bars in such a manner as to be closed by relatively moving one of the bars of each pair downwardly, it will be seen that this form of hinge is more securely held open by any weight upon the upper side of the frame such as afforded by a body placed upon the mattress 29. When desired to fold up the structure, the nuts 20 are loosened and the braces 16 released which braces may then be folded along the sides of their carrying legs, while the legs are foldable rearwardly at the opposite sides of the end members 11 as shown in Fig. 5. The bars 12 being moved upon their hinges 14 to lie with their under faces contacting each other, the latches 22 are released when the end members 11 may then be moved upon the bolts 13 so as to overlie each other with the bars 12 lying in their folded positions within such members.

The device is readily unfolded from such position and by projecting the latches 22 may be quickly set up for use, while the mattress 29 may be removed or not as desired during the folding and unfolding operation.

While the forms of the invention herein shown are preferred,it is to be understood, that minor changes may be-made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as claimed.

FFICE.

What I claim is 5- Y A stretcher comprising a rectangular frame having U-shaped end members, pairs of side bars hinged together and having the free ends of each pair of said bars hinged to the adjacent ends of said U-shaped members, retaining latches slidably *mounted upon the lower faces of said bars adjacent.

secured to the adjacent end members and 5 side bars, projecting handles at the opposite ends of saidend members, the upper side of said frame having a plurality of spaced pins, a mattress having edge perforations engageable over the said pins removably se- 20 curing the mattress to the frame.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature in presence of two Witnesses.

MIKOTAJ KOZAK;

-Witnesses FILIP, GONTAREWITZ, PAWEL MALARSKI.

Q'epi-es of this. patent, may be obtained for five cents eaelnhy addressing the Gommissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

